Julen Lopetegui Wants 'Even Better' Real Madrid After Cristiano Ronaldo Sale
New Real Madrid managerย Julen Lopetegui stated his aim to turn Los Blancos into an even better side after taking charge of his first match in a 2-1 pre-season defeat to Manchester United in Miami on Tuesday.
The former Spain boss acknowledged the challenge of rebuilding the squad after Cristiano Ronaldo's departure, but he picked out Gareth Bale as a potentially crucial player in the coming season, per Perform (h/tย AS):ย
"I am delighted with the team I have here.ย We have the challenge of reinventing the team without a player such as Cristiano Ronaldo.ย I want to make this team even better than before.ย We have a squad chock full of excellent players, including Bale, and weย want to have a good, united side."
It was far from a vintage performance from Real against the Red Devils, andย Lopeteguiย will be unconcerned with the defeat given Bale and Karimย Benzemaย were the only recognised first-teamers in the starting XI.
The French striker netted late in the first half after goals from Alexis Sanchez andย Anderย Herrera, but Real could not find an equaliser after the break at theย Hard Rock Stadium.
Given Real have won theย UEFAย Champions League in each of the last three seasons,ย Lopetegui's aim to make the team even better is an ambitious one.
Adjusting to life without Ronaldo will be a huge challenge given the amount of goals he has scored for Real over the last nine years:
One of the players who may be used in the future as Real's attack develops isย Viniciusย Junior.
The 18-year-old Brazilian was presented at the Santiagoย Bernabeuย last month, a year on from Real agreeing aย ยฃ38.7 million deal withย Flamengoย to sign him.
The United clash was his first appearance in the famous white shirt, andย Lopeteguiย praised the performance of the teenageย attacker, perย AS: "He played a good game. He has gone from less to more, just like the rest of the team.ย He started a little shy, but then he came on in leaps and bounds.ย He is very young and has to adapt to thisย style ofย footballย and what we ask of players. I thought he played a good game."
Real now face two moreย pre-seasonย clashes againstย Juventusย and Roma before meetingย Atleticoย Madrid in theย UEFAย Super Cup on August 15.ย
